Apparatus for controlling the rotation of a reel



Feb. 2, 1960 T. c.' FITZGERALD ET AL 2,923,493

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE ROTATION OF A REEL Filed May 29, 1956 COMPRESSED All? COMPRESSED All? Arron/5 United States PatentO APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE ROTATION OFA REEL Application May 29, 1956, Serial No. 587,997 5 Claims. (21. 242-156) This invention relates to apparatus forv controlling -the rotation of a reel and more particularly to an apparatus for applying an adjustable braking force to a rotating reel to tension the material being unwound therefrom.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved apparatus for applying an adjustable braking force to a rotating reel for tensioning the material being unwound therefrom.

A device illustrating certain features of the invention may include a stationary frame and an aircylinder supported thereon having a vertically reciprocable piston rod swivelly connected to one end of a shaft for lowering the shaft into engagement with a reel positioned therebeneath to effect a driving engagement therewith. A brake drum is splined to the shaft for rotation therewith and is held by the frame against axial movement, and a brake shoe r. ounted on the frame is actuated by air pressure under control of an adjustable valve to apply an adjustable braking force to the drum for retarding the rotation of the reel to tension the material being unwound therefrom. A fluid operated clamp mounted on the piston rod is actuable into gripping engagement with the frame to lock the shaft in a lower operative position in engagement with the reel and in an upper position disengaged therefrom, and a control mechanism serves to release the clamp while the piston and shaft are being raised and lowered.

Other. objects and advantages 'of. the invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description thereof and to the drawing showing a vertical sectionalelevational view of the device with a portion thereof in, lowered position in engagement with a reel.

Referring to the drawings, represents a reel having wound thereon strand material in the form of a cable core 11 which is to be unwound at an unreeling station force to the reel to tension the cable core 11 as it is being unwound.

, The apparatus 15 comprises a stationary frame in the form of a cylindrical shell which is secured to a ceiling 21 or to any other suitable supporting member in spaced relation to the floor to provide clearance for movement therebeneath of the truck and the reel 10 thereon. The

shell 20 has upper and lower sections 22 and 23, the upper section of which'has a flange 24 through which bolts 25 pass to secure the shell to the ceiling. The

flanges 26 and 27 at the juncture of the sections 22 and 23 are secured together by bolts. An annular plate 29 H mounted on the upper end'of the section-23 supports a cylinder 32 of a fluid actuator, the piston 33 of which is vertically reciprocable therein and has a piston rod 34 M extending downwardly therefrom. An annular head 37 is secured'to the lower end of the piston rod 34 and" and advanced to another station for the application of a has a swivel connection with the upperjend of a shaft 38' by means of ball bearings 39, the inner race ofwhich is attached to the shaft and the outer race of which is secured to the head 37. The lower end of the shaft has a reduced pilot portion 43 which fits in an aperture 44 in the head 42 of the reel 10 to maintain the reel 10 in coaxial alignment with the shaft 38. A cross arm 45 is secured to the lower end of the shaft 38 and has downwardly extending lugs 46 thereon which are engageable with the head '42 of the reel and limits the downward movement of the shaft 38 and which engage a pair of diametrically opposed driving pins 48 extending upwardly from the head 42 of the reel to establish a driving connection between the reel and the shaft 38 as the reel 10 is rotated during the unwinding of the cable core 11 therefrom.

Means are provided for applying a braking force to the shaft 38, which includes a brake drum 52 splined on the shaft 38 for rotation therewith and for movement of the shaft axially thereof. The brake drum 52 has hubs 53 extending fromopposite ends thereof which are journalled in bearings 54, 55 formed on plates 56, 57 and these plates are secured to the flange end'58 of the shell section 23 by bolts 59 and spacers 60. The cylindrical peripheral surface of the brake drum 52 is engageable by a plurality of brake shoes or segments 62 of a commercial fluid actuated brake. The shoes 62 are bonded or otherwise secured to the inner periphery of an expansible annular tube 63 of rubber'or other suitable material and the outer periphery of the tube is bonded or otherwise secured to an annular metal frame 64 which is secured to the underside of the frame plate 56. An air line 65 is connected to the expansible tube 63 through which compressed air is admitted under the'controlof an'adjustable valve 66 to inflate the tube 63 and actuate tions whereby the shaft may be clamped in its lower operative position with the cross arm 45 in engagement with the reel l0or in its retracted position in disengaged relation to the reel. The clamping device 70 comprises a cylindrical metal ring 71 having a flange 72 secured to the head 37 and an expansible annular tube 73 secured to the ring 71. On the outer periphery of the expansible tube 73 is mounted a plurality of segments or brake shoes 74 which are engageable with the inner periphery of the section 23 of the shell for effecting a clamping engagement between the head 37 and the shell to lock the piston 32 and'the shaft 38 against axial movement in response to expansion of the tube 73. One end of a flexible air line 76 is connected to the tube 73 and is coiled within the lower section 23 of the shell to permit vertical movement of the clamping device 70, and the other end of the line 76 is connected'to a control valve 79 for controlling the admission of compressed air from an air line 80 to the clamipng device 70. Thus, by conplate 29 engages a notch in the head the shell 23. A vertically disposed rod 81 rotation of the head during reciprocation thereof.

The control valve .79 is connected by a line 84 to a control valve 85and controls the passage of air from the supply line 80 into the valve 85, whichin turn is connected by air lines 86 and 87 to the lower and upper ends of the cylinder 32 for controlling the passage of, air to the lower and tion of the piston 33 and a'nd 85 have cylindrical casings ijalye's thereof for effecting reciprocaupper ends 7 the shaft 38. The valves 79 positions [as slhown i'n the drawifig and'sare actuated by solenoids 92 and 93 to s'econd vpositions as LSliQWILjlJ circuit including i pu h buttons 97. The arrangement of cont -ponent's brine The solenoids 95mm 96 to,;afp,oi2verfl ine r'bl circuit: and other, comapparatus is such that the, clamping device '70- is always released during movement .of. the piston ;3,3

and are shaft positions.

38 to and from. their upper and lower 'efIn the operation of ,thefievice the pis'toni'33 arid the 'shaft 38 "arejin their lnorrnal upper position and 'a' truck ha re l operator then than through s'imultaiieously thereon is moved into. unreeling position presses the down button 96, completing a andrenergizi'ngthe solenoids 92 and 93 to actuate thevalve pistons" 90 Tafidi' 91 'to positions sho'wh-.infdotted lihes ir r the'drawings. With thepist on 90"of'fthevalve 79 ip its 'seeo'iid position c 80 is cut "oil: to the v p connected to an exhaust port 98 in valve 79 to release V ressed airiifrom supplyllin'e clampingdevice 70 which is then the clarripin'g device. U h -Withthefpiston 90 o'f the valve 79Jin its second'po- "-sition compressed air from the supply line 80 passes through the valve 79 and the line 84 into thevalve 85 and through the line lforce'ithe piston 33 and the the 'cross arm iluperator removes his finger The airin the 87 to the upper end of cylinder32 to shaft 38 downwardly until are connected, iula .qpntIQ and; double headed Piston 91 whichare .yildahly.retainedginrnormal 4 whereby communication is reestablished line 80 and the line 76 to into gripping engagement in the drawing, between the compressed air: actuate the clamping device .70

with the shell '23 to lock the piston 33 and the shaft 38 i in their upper position. 7 a

It is to be understoodtha t the above-described arrangements are simply illustrative of the application of the principles of this invention, Numerous other airr rangements may be readily devised by those skilled in 10 the art which will emb dy the principles of the inv'ention and fall within thespirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is: v

1. In a device for controlling the rotation of a "reel to tension material being unwound therefrom, 'a shaft having a connector memberfixedlymounted on one end thereof for establishing a releasable driving connection with said reel, stationary mounting means for supporting said shaft forrotation and for axial movement, actuating r neanson said mountingme'ans for iaxially 'm'oving said =.shaft from an'o'per'ative'position ;wit h theconne'ctor men ber in engagement with said reelj to; a retracted position with the connector member spaced therefrom, means for Treleasably locking the shaft against axial movement in the operative and in the retracted positions, and means for 'applyingan adjustable brakingforc'e-to the shaft to retard the rotation of the reel for tensioning the material A being unwound therefrom.

'45 engages 'the reel 10, wliereupon the i from the down button '96. bottom of the cylinder 32 escapesthrough outlet port 99 in'thevalve 85 as the piston 133 is lowered. The j'b'uttjo n 96 'then returns to "-rlorin'al position, opening the "circuit and *deeriergizing ine-serenade; and allowing thepiston 90of the valve to return t0 its'norinal position 'sh'owh iri fullllines in "the drawing, i'whereu pon communication'is "established bytheein supply line'80 and the'line 76 and compressed q air then expands the tube 73 to actuate the cl mping r"r1e'inber 70 into gripping "eir'gage'riielntwith"thefshell 23 olo ck'the shaft against 'axial'mov'ernfit. "As the cable "core is unwoun'd' from the 'reel and "whereby the pins 481 on" the reel head the 'reel is: rotated bar lS 'and'r'otatethel shaft 38 which' is' restrained from rot ation by 'the braking' force of the brakeshoes 62 thereon, whereby the'device 15retards' the tiirnirig r'nove- {rr'reut' of the reel lll'and thereby applies a predetermined I cable cor 11 tending to keeplit tautas'it "is'ibeing unwourid from thfe re'elr By' adjusting theprestension to the sur'e' control v the braking be varied.

"After the c d-thereby"disconnectthe'air "SuppI fr'em' the f lilies; intofthe valvel85 ahdjthrotfl'gh' the line" 86 'iritd the upper end a e? ez-Eadie h tion the'opera returned toits' normal position, thereby denied; and" thefair' in 'the '3? l. or removes his ngerfrom' the up button id eh'ergi zi ng the solenoid 92' and causingfthevalve piston td its, normal po'si'tion'shown in full lines gage the cross inoperative and in .retract edzpositions, 'a brake ednim I v mounted nsaid shaftfor rotation threwith'and'foruaxial movement relative thereto, means onsaidstxtioharysupporting "member for restraining "the' brake: drtim against ,2. In a' devicefor controlling the rotatio uz o f a reel to ten'sion' material being unwound therefrom, a shaft having a connector member on-one'endthereof for establishingxa drivingconnection with said reel a stationary "merriher for supporting xthe'shaft for rotation and for "a'xialniovement, an actuator on the stationary member iucluding a reciprocable pistourodfhaving a swivel connectionwith the other end "of'rthe "shaft for axially moving the shaft from an operative :'position withrthe connector member in engagement 'with said re'elto a retrac'tediposition with 'the connector member spaced therefrom, means-on said piston rod cooperablewith said stationary member for locking the piston and the: shaft axial movement relative thereto, and means forfapplying adjustable braking force tothe brake' rd'rfim'toretard "ble care. ll has been unwound from" the, a feel 10 the 1operat0r-p'ressesthe up button 95 andthereby.

' irc'uitfto the solenoid 92 to ener ize it" and re- P15 on-90 bf heva1ve79to its' s'eecsnd' r dotted {connection therewith, means connecting the member to the rod for rotation relative thereto and for'reciprocation therewith into and out ofengagerrient with'the reelya device fixed to said rod and "expansible into grippingen- "gagement with the-cylindrical portion" of the frame 'for holding the rod and the member against'vertical rriove- 'ment, meansfor sequentially actuating theactiiating 7 device 70 :whichisthen automatically released. With ft'he v'alve in-this retra't'ed' positiori eb'mi tessed air from the air line so passes thrbngh' the"v alve 79 and the r'ri'eans and ltl'le device to j'mov'e the rod iand'rthe member from onepositionto another and'toexpand the '":device when the rod I is not being movedyand means mounted on the stationary'frarne forapplying'abrak'ing force to said member to'retardthe rotationof the reel for teirsioniiig*the material being unwound therefrom.

'. 4. 'lnan rapparatus of the 3 type described, thecombinajtion of aistationary fra'nie having-a vertically dispt'gsed avln iiig axlriviiig cbnnectiontherewith;'nieans" swivelly connecting the shaft to the piston rod for rotation about the axis of the piston and for reciprocation therewith into and out of engagement with the reel, an annular fluid operated device fixed to said piston rod and expansible into gripping engagement with the cylindrical portion of the frame for holding the piston rod and the shaft against vertical movement, means for actuating the fluid actuator and the expansible device, a brake drum mounted on the shaft for rotation therewith and for axial movement relative thereto, means on said frame for supporting the shaft for rotary and axial movement and for supporting the brake drum against axial movement, and means mounted on the frame for applying a braking force to said brake drum for retarding the rotation of the reel to tension the material being unwound therefrom.

5. In an apparatus of the type described, the combination of a stationary frame having a vertically disposed hollow cylindrical portion for receiving a reel thereunder, a fluid actuator mounted in the frame having a piston rod reciprocable within said cylindrical portion, a shaft having a connector member engageable with the reel for establishing a driving connection therewith, means swivelly connecting the shaft to the piston rod for rotation relative thereto about the axis of the piston rod and for reciprocation therewith into and out of engagement with the reel, a fluid actuated annular device fixed to said piston rod and expansible into gripping engagement with said hollow cylindrical portion for holding the piston rod and the shaft against axial movement, valve means for controlling the flow of fluid to the actuator and to the expansible device to actuate them and effect the raising and lowering of the shaft and the release of the expansible device while the shaft is being raised or lowered, a brake drum mounted on the shaft for rotation therewith and for axial movement relative thereto, means on said frame forsupporting the shaft for rotary and axial movement and for supporting the brake drum against axial movement, and means mounted on the stationary frame for applying a braking force to said brake drum for retarding the rotation of the reel to tension the material being unwound therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Colson July 18, 1944 

